Story Arc:Rise in Love

Title: 'Bout It
Author:
Rangiku
Genre:
AU, Drama, Romance
Rating:
M
Pairing:
ZackxCloud
Spoilers:
None

Chapter Word Count: 3 197
Summary: How Cloud feels about Zack and what happens when Zack finds out how the Populars treat him.

Warnings: Yaoi, fluff, violence.

Disclaimer:The usual. I do not own, though I wish I did.

'Bout It

Cloud went home the first day with a confused feeling in his gut. He had watched Zack walk away after saying goodbye to him and get into Aerith's car. Out of all the people he could be associated with, it had to be one of the Populars…even though Aerith was one of the better of them, but he still didn't like the idea of it. Were they trying to get under his skin? Were they trying to find all his weaknesses and did they bribe or dare Zack into becoming his friend? Zack did say he had cover, did that mean that the Populars had intended him to become Cloud's friend?

The blond was overly confused when he got to his apartment building. He didn't like being confused but something about those light purple eyes told him that the other teen wasn't lying to him. Cloud let the feeling pass and dutifully checked his mail, scooping out the letters and flyers that sat in it. He retreated to his apartment, kicking the door closed, and looked through his letters. As his father had said, a letter with the check inside was staring back up at him and Cloud sighed, he should really get a job of his own sometime soon.

Cloud spent an hour finishing up his homework before eating dinner. After he was done eating and cleaning after himself, he pulled out the Transit Pass Replacement sheets and got to work. When he was done, he sealed them in an envelope and set it on his front table, to make sure he didn't forget it the next morning. He spent some time reading through his textbooks and eventually moved to his bedroom where he pulled out a large book. Splitting it, he began reading where he left off.

The next day, Cloud went through his same routine and got to school early. When he was in sight of his locker, he almost groaned out loud, he opted instead for a glare. Kadaj was talking to Yazoo and Loz not too far from his locker. A locker was open next to them and it was about four feet from Cloud's. He growled, this was not something he wanted to deal with in the morning.

He ignored them and opened his locker, shoving in unwanted books and when he closed it and turned around, he was face to face with Kadaj. "Look who it is," The teen said in an eerie voice, "It's our wannabe brother." There had been rumors before that when Cloud's mother was still with him and his father, she had an affair with another man and that these were the products. Cloud couldn't believe it really; these teens were actually too strange to be his half-brothers. Then again, Cloud had never met their so called father, so he couldn't really pull any conclusions (But come on! Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, what kind of names were those?). Even if they happened to be brothers, the three silver haired teens refused to acknowledge him as their half-brother.

Yazoo was the oldest of the triplets. He was actually slimmer than the other two brothers by far but was taller, therefore was also a part of the basketball team. Kadaj was the middle child and seemed to have taken on the role as the leader of their little triplet posse. He was slightly bigger built than Yazoo but was shorter than him. Loz was the last of the three of them. He was the largest of them but also the most childish and played on the football team.

"Good thing he isn't," Yazoo said leaning in closer, licking his lips, forcing Cloud to step back into his locker, not out of fear, but out of disgust. "I wouldn't be able to want a piece of that ass if I were."

Loz laughed, "Don't get carried away, Yazoo. Besides, you and I both know that sex between brothers is possible…" Loz gave Yazoo a look and the long haired teen smirked deviously. Cloud felt himself throw up a little in his mouth.

"Don't get out of hand, wannabe," Kadaj said, closing in on him, "or we might have to eat you…" He bit down on Cloud's collarbone and Cloud's hand flew up to throw him off, only to be caught by the larger-than-him Loz.

The towering teen threw his hand off and Cloud's back bounced against the metal lockers. They just laughed and walked away. Cloud hated them and their leather clad personalities even more than usual.

Before Cloud could turn away to his first class, another voice called out to him, "Cloud!" The blond turned to look at whoever had called him, expecting something unpleasant. Instead he was met by a slightly sight of Zack's purple eyes. "Spike! What's up?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Spike?" He did not like that name.

"Yeah, like your hair!" Zack grinned and tapped him on the back, motioning him to walk with him. "So I was wondering if maybe you'd show me around the school a bit today, what do you think?"

"I think it's a very bad idea." Cloud said sternly, they began towards their first class as the halls became congested with high school students. Cloud watched as the geeky and unique Asians and the posh and pimply whites walk by him.

"Why do you think it's so bad?" Zack asked, obliviously.

Cloud looked at him incredulously. "You're kidding right?" Zack glanced at him with a blank face and Cloud sighed and stopped walking to turn to Zack. "Look, I don't think you understand."

"Understand what?"

"The fact that I'm probably the most hated guy on the top of the Populars most hated people list. They want my head on a platter, Zack."

"And this applies to me how…?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.

"They don't like me. Therefore they don't like whoever I hang out with. Get it?" Cloud asked.

"Nah, no matter what, they can't hate me." Zack smirked and Cloud was rudely reminded of the vision he had seen the day before of Zack getting in Aerith's car. That and the possibility of Zack being fake, but he didn't think that was the case. "Besides, if I got to spend more time you, I think it'd be worth it." He stepped up into Cloud's personal space as the blond stepped back and turned away with a frown. He began walking again as the warning bell rung.

"So you're not going to leave me be until I say yes?" Cloud said lowly.

"That's right," Zack smiled, stopping in front of their class door.

"Fine, whatever," Cloud put his hand on the door.

"So I'll meet you by your locker at lunch then." Zack grinned once more before Cloud opened the door. As Cloud walked into the class with Zack, the taller teen sauntered over to the Populars with a wide grin on his face. Tifa and Yuffie greeted him loudly as Leon spotted Cloud breaking off to his seat. The brunet narrowed his eyes at Cloud and the blond glared right on back.

When lunch finally rolled around, Cloud realized that if he didn't show up to show Zack around, the boy would probably wind up bothering him even more. He came to his locker and opened it just as Zack leaned onto the locker beside him.

"You know, it's almost impossible to miss that hair of yours." He said.

"Yeah, from your stand point, you tower over everyone." Cloud stated, throwing his bag in his locker and pulling out a five dollar bill from his bag. Once he had shut the locker he turned to the teen beside him whose eyes darted to his face from looking somewhere, Cloud didn't really know.

"So are we going to the caf?" Zack asked, pushing off the locker.

"I was hoping not but if you want…" Cloud growled and grumbled as he led Zack to the cafeteria.

"Hey Spike?"

Cloud glanced at him, "Don't call me Spike."

Zack ignored him, "Why do my cousin and her friends hate you so much?"

"You mean the Populars?" Cloud almost groaned out loud. Aerith must be his cousin. The blond received a nod. "It's not really something I talk about." Cloud ended as they passed the doors into the cafeteria.

Cloud hated the noise that accompanied the room. It was almost deafening as they walked further in. One side was occupied by the food itself, being sold by the school, and the rest was tables upon tables of students. Cloud scanned the crowd. He usual Asian tables sat together, three or four of the tables were full. Then there was a mixed variety but at the very back of the cafeteria was where the entire grade twelve population usually ate. Expectedly, the Populars were at the center of it all. There was a crowd around their particular table and Zack smiled, starting to head that way.

"Um, Zack?" Cloud said. The raven turned around, "I can't go in there." Cloud stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. To Cloud, it really was.

"What are you talking about?" Zack said, "Don't all of us get to eat in the same place?"

"No, not me-" Cloud was cut off as Zack's name was called out. Leon was waving at him when they looked up and Zack smiled, waving back.

"Come on," Zack had grabbed Cloud's hand before he could react and Cloud began to panic as he was dragged closer and closer. He saw a glare from Leon and Cid and knew instantly that he was probably going to get beat up sometime in the near future for this. He tried to tug his hand out of Zack's grasp but it only fell out when the teen let go to hug his cousin, Aerith.

Cloud backed up quickly and hit a hard chest with his back. He spun around and saw Barret and knew that he was screwed. The large muscled teen glared down at him and Cloud turned around again as a hand crept up his arm.

"Well, Lookie, lookie," Yazoo's lips twisted into a smile just as goose bumps broke out on Cloud's skin. These guys were just plain creepy sometimes. He jerked his arm away and backed up slightly. He caught the look on Zack's face and he glared at the teen. He was invading territory.

Kadaj walked up behind his older brother and smirked. "How's my favorite punching bag doing? Not too hurt to take anymore, I hope?" He tapped Cloud stomach and the blonds hand came up and slapped the hand away from him. Members of the football team were starting to close in on him, forming a semi circle.

"Oh, feisty," Yazoo grinned, "Just the way I like 'em."

"Keep your fantasies for your bedroom, Yazoo." Loz said slowly. Yazoo smiled and backed off. Cloud was looking for a way out when Kadaj spoke again.

"How's daddy, Cloud?"

Cloud flinched, he knew where this conversation was going and could only hope that maybe this time he could keep his control.

"Oh wait, that's right, you don't live with your father." Kadaj smirked. "How's that working out for you?"

"Fine." Cloud bit out, "Let me go."

"Why should we?" Loz said, "You're the one on our turf,"

Cloud sighed, he knew this was not going to end well. "I was just passing through." The blond lied.

"No he wasn't, he was with me." Cloud could have flung a platter of pudding at Zack right at that moment. What was wrong with this guy?

Cloud saw Cid and Barret look over at Zack, disbelievingly. Kadaj smiled, "A boyfriend already? I'm jealous." His lips curled.

"Back off, he doesn't know what he's saying," Cloud growled and glared at Zack, hoping the other teen would get the point and shut up. Thankfully, even though Zack was confused, he was silent.

"How about those greens Cloudy?" Yazoo smiled and held out his hand. Cloud restrained from punching the pretty boy but held out his money anyway. It was snatched away and folded into a neat square before being tucked away in his wallet. Cloud knew the routine, if he hadn't given the teen his money, they'd take it from him, forcefully or otherwise.

"So do you know where your mother is, Cloud?" Kadaj asked, stepping back slightly to get a better look at him. Cloud said nothing but his fist clenched at his side. "Oh that's right, she's abandoned you! I completely forgot." He smiled again and turned slightly to his right. "So how good of a prostitute is she, do you know?"

Something snapped inside of Cloud and he lunged for the silver haired teen. He felt his fist connecting with the bridge of his nose and felt in collapse underneath him. Another hit was delivered to his cheekbone and another to his neck. Those were the only hits Cloud got in before being bodily hauled off Kadaj, whose nose was bleeding and the area around his eye already began to swell.

Cloud knew where to hit when he had limited time and wanted maximum damage. He felt justified for a moment before a blow hit his gut. "Hey wait up! Stop!" A voice said, and Cloud was dropped. The blond quickly got up and dashed through an opening, sprinting to the closest exit. The blond glanced back and saw Zack chasing after him.

He ran out the front door and just as he was about to cross the school gates, a hand caught his wrist and pulled him back, his back hitting the wall. He breathed deeply as he saw Zack staring at him, "I wouldn't have—" He paused to take a breath, "I wouldn't have brought you if I knew that was going to happen."

Cloud growled, "I told you, you just weren't listening!" Cloud threw off the taller teens hand.

Zack was taken aback from the blond's outburst and Cloud just leaned against the stucco wall, forming his sentence in his head. "Look, I will never be able to have a good friend again." Cloud said lowly, "I will never know real friendship until I am out of this hell hole."

Zack's breathing slowed and he opened his mouth the talk but Cloud cut him off.

"You belong with them." Cloud said, turning away. "You fit in with them. You can laugh with them. You can play sports, go to the movies, got to the mall, go to all the best parties with them. That's why we can't be friends. I will never be able to try those things with them around. I can't even go to the bathroom without having to lock the actually doors to the restrooms." This was the most Cloud had talked to an almost stranger, he just wanted Zack to understand. "We come from two completely different worlds and they can't collide or the whole social balance of the school will be shattered. It'd be chaos."

"Cloud, I didn't mean for this to happen." Zack said, Cloud grew frustrated, he didn't believe that Zack really knew what he was getting at. "I know I can be ignorant sometimes," Cloud almost snorted at this, "But I only meant for the best. I thought that maybe, if you came with me, it wouldn't be such a big problem."

"Of course it's a problem!" Cloud said loudly, causing Zack to flinch. He lowered the level of his voice, "I've been hated by those people for over two years now. I was hurt more than you can imagine. I don't think that just because I had talked to them with you around, they would think that maybe I'm suddenly cool."

Zack scowled and it was the first time Cloud had seen him with such an expression. "I didn't mean it that way. I just thought that maybe it would offer some kind of protection."

"Protection?" Cloud felt like laughing bitterly, "I'm sorry to break it to you, but you can't volunteer for the vacant position of my mom.

"Cloud, please!" Zack pleaded, Cloud's jaw snapped shut and he stared at him. "I know you're a good person and I don't care what the others think! I want to be you're friend."

"You haven't even known me for more than a day." Cloud said, almost whispering.

Zack rolled his eyes, "So? I tend to make lots of good friends on the first day I know them-"

"Which would be why you fit in with them," Cloud interrupted and Zack glared but continued.

"What I'm saying is that, you're someone that intrigues me." The raven smiled finally and Cloud felt some of his anger melt away. "I want to know you better."

There was silence and Cloud suddenly said, "Well, that's a first. No one has even wanted to know my name since I became the school's punching bag."

Zack continued with his train of thought, "You're different, you're not like them. That's why I want to get to know you."

Cloud was silent and tilted his head to stare at a dog that ran ahead of it's owner who was walking it. It barked and Cloud looked down.

Zack's eyes softened and he grinned, "So will you let me be your friend?"

Cloud scowled, that sounded so childish. "No, I'll let you try to be my friend because, honestly, I don't care." Cloud spun on his heel and walked steadily away from Zack.

"Hey, Cloud!" Cloud grumbled as Zack caught up with him once again. He was surprised though when he found a five dollar bill slapped into his hand. He watched as Zack gave him a wink and sprinted back into the school as the late bell rung.

Cloud looked closer to the bill and felt his stomach twist at the words written there in a black sharpie, 'I hope I'm starting out okay…- )'. He crumpled it and pushed it into his back pocket. He didn't like taking pity.

Deciding to take the rest of the day off, even if it was the only second day, Cloud hiked up his bag and began to walk away. From the second story, the violet eyes that would soon haunt his dreams watched him leave through the front gates.

Chapter two is finished! Sorry it took so long, I had a weekend of soccer and it cut down on my writing time. That and I had like three exams this week but that doesn't matter since I don't really study at all. Anyway, I hope you liked it, review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can!